Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 boat specs
Sea Ray
Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005
2005
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VS
Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005 boat specs
Sea Ray
Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005
2005
View full specs →

Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 vs Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005: Same Brand, Different Boat

The Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 vs Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story: intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.

Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005 measures 50,0 feet overall (2005), giving it roughly 5,0 additional feet of deck space compared to the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 at 45,0 feet (2005). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005 tips the scales at 38 500 lbs - 16 000 lbs less than the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 at 22 500 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005 is rated for 15 passengers, while the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 caps at 13. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005 if your priority is putting more people on the water - it handles 15 passengers and at 50,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 13 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
MakeSea Ray
MakeSea Ray
Model420 Sundancer®
Model480 Motor Yacht
Model Year2005
Model Year2005
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam14 ft. 0 in. (4.27 m)
Beam15 ft. 3 in. (4.65 m)
Beam - Meters4.27
Beam - Meters4.65
Beam - Inches168
Beam - Inches183
Deadrise19℃
Deadrise15℃
Draft [max] - Detail40 in. (101.6 cm)
Draft [max] - Detail47 in. (119.4 cm)
Draft [max] - Meters1.02
Draft [max] - Meters1.19
Draft [max] - Inches40
Draft [max] - Inches47
Weight - Detail22,500 lbs. (10,205 kg)
Weight - Detail38,500 lbs. (17,464 kg)
Weight - kg10205.82
Weight - kg17463.29
Weight - lbs.22500
Weight - lbs.38500
Length - Meters13.72
Length - Meters15.24
Length - Feet45
Length - Feet50
Length overall - Detail45 ft. 0 in. (13.72 m)
Length overall - Detail50 ft. 5 in. (15.24 m)
Length overall - Meters13.72
Length overall - Meters15.37
Length overall - Inches540
Length overall - Inches605
Length - Inchesnot available
Length - Inches5
Engine and Drivetrain
Engine/s standardT-VD-8.1 S Horizon MerCruiser? Gasoline Inboards (T-370 hp - 276 kw)
Engine/s standardT-Cummins MerCruiser? QSM-11 Diesel Inboards (T-640 hp - 477 kw)
Fuel tank capacity - Detail335 gal. (1,268 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Detail500 gal. (1,892.5 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Liters1268.11
Fuel tank capacity - Liters1892.71
Fuel tank capacity - Gal335
Fuel tank capacity - Gal500
Drive typeInboard
Drive typeInboard
Operational Info
Water capacity100 gal. (378.5 l)
Water capacity120 gal. (454.2 l)
Holding tank capacity - Detail42 gal. (159 l)
Holding tank capacity - Detail60 gal. (227.1 l)
Holding tank capacity - Liters158.99
Holding tank capacity - Liters227.12
Holding tank capacity - Gal42
Holding tank capacity - Gal60

Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 vs Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005 - Common Questions

Which is the larger boat - the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 or the Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005?
The Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005 is the longer of the two at 50,0 feet overall. The Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 comes in at 45,0 feet, making it roughly 5,0 ft shorter - a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.
Which is easier to trailer - the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 or the Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005?
For trailering, the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 has the edge at 22 500 lbs dry weight versus 38 500 lbs for the Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.
How many people can each boat hold?
The Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 is Coast Guard rated for 13 passengers, while the Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005 is certified for 15. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing - on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.
Which boat is wider, and does it affect trailering?
The Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005 measures 183" wide, compared to 168" for the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005. The US standard-width towing limit is 8’6" (102") in most states - anything over that may need a wide-load permit. Confirm your specific route requirements with each state's DOT.
Which boat has the larger fuel tank - the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 or the Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005?
The Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005 has the bigger tank at 500 gallons, versus 335 gallons on the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005. That 165-gallon difference translates to roughly 495–825 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.
Are the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 and Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005 from the same manufacturer?
Yes - both the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer® 2005 and the Sea Ray 480 Motor Yacht 2005 are built by Sea Ray. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.